Sorelle San Diego’s Spring Concert Explores the Sacred and the Secular
Repertoire Examines Various Aspects of Humanity from Heavenly Angels to Big Data
TICKETS: Suggested donation $20 general / students free with ID
Encinitas, Calif. (March 23, 2026)—Women’s chamber chorus, Sorelle San Diego, will present Heartstrings, a spring concert on Sunday, May 3 at 2:30 p.m. in Encinitas. Directed by Michelle Risling and accompanied by Anna Juliar, Sorelle will perform compelling choral works that examine the idea of the sacred and secular elements that commingle with every human soul. Concert repertoire will address spirit, music, technology, nature, community and more.
Heartstrings will feature Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Six Choruses, comprised of lyrical pieces that showcase Russian poetry with themes of nature and longing. Hymn of Acxiom by folk-pop singer Vienna Teng is a modern reflection on the intersection of technology and human connection. Haunting lyrics raise questions about the internalization of consumerism and data gathering. Sorelle will be joined by members of San Diego State University School of Music and Dance, featured professionals and a string quartet for the program’s final selections, which include The Ecstasies Above by Tarik O’Regan and Timothy Takach’s Neither Angels, Nor Demons, Nor Powers, a stirring affirmation of faith. The Ecstasies Above provides a modern setting of the Edgar Allan Poe poem “Israfel” to explore the contrast between an angel’s heavenly music and the harsh realities of earthly life.
“Song selections touch on how the sacred and the secular within all of us coexist to create a complete human experience,” described Michelle Risling, conductor. “By imbuing mundane tasks with significance, such as finding wonder in nature, transcendence integrates with daily life offering us a more complete understanding of the human condition. Our concert repertoire speaks to this finding of common ground.”
ABOUT SORELLE WOMEN’S CHAMBER CHORUS
Sorelle San Diego was founded in 2013 by director, Sally Husch Dean. When Dean retired from conducting, she passed the baton to Michelle Risling, a well-known conductor and singer in the Southern California region. Risling also serves as Interim Artistic Director of San Diego North Coast Singers. Sorelle strives to enhance the local community by offering challenging repertoire of diverse styles and genres. Selections range from international folk songs to music of living composers. A key part of Sorelle’s mission is to benefit local non-profit organizations by sharing concert proceeds. Sorelle is a program of San Diego North Coast Singers, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.